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I'm a hardcore Dead Ops Arcade player (I know they're not many of us) and have been to Round 160 legit. We've basically determined that beating 160 is not possible due to too many gems spawning from killing the Boss('s) and causes a G_Spawn. I've used mods since to prove this over and over again. See video here:


For about a year now, I have been wanting to see what Round 200 (and possibly farther) would be like and have been very disappointed that the game crashes/G_Spawn's at 160 making it impossible to go any farther. So, I started exploring mods and in the last few weeks with the help of NGU and especially ZOMBIEKILLAH I have been playing with gamesaves, and then EBOOTs, making my own EBOOTs and now trying to modify the fastfiles. My theory is that if the code can be modified to limit the amount of gems that spew out of a Boss Monkey when killed, that perhaps the game will not G_Spawn. I've looked through the fast file of zombietron.ff (/dev_hdd0/GAMES/BLUS30591-[Call of Duty Black Ops]/PS3_GAME/USRDIR/english) and zombietron_patch.ff (/dev_hdd0/game/BLUS30591/USRDIR/english). In both of these I have noticed the same line :

set_zombie_var( "zombie_treasure_boss", 25);

[ATTACH=CONFIG]18817[/ATTACH]

What I believe can be done is change the value "25" to a lower number, preferably say "1" which will cause the Monkey's to spew 25x less gems? The problem is when I try editing this, I keep getting a syntax error while Dead Ops Arcade is loading.

What I have tried:
I have gone into zombietron_patch.ff using TheUnknowns Fast File Viewer, changing this value from 25 to 1 (also tried 15 & 20) within the viewer and also have tried copy/paste from Notepad++. I also modified the EBOOT to remove the RSA check per Choco's tutorial but to be safe, I've also tried one of his patched EBOOT's as well just in case I did this incorrectly.

From the sounds of it, modifying the .ff for Black Ops is not very cut & dry. All I am looking to do is get passed Round 160 without a G_Spawn so that I can continue on to Round 200 and possibly farther. I am not concerned with going online although that is obviously always more fun. I am wondering if someone may be able to give me some direction, suggestions, or even create the modified fastfile for me. Any help would be greatly appreciated. I know many people that like me are anxious to see beyond the current cap of Round 160 in Dead Ops Arcade.

If you are willing to provide me with some guidance I would be willing to help with anything I could although I am somewhat limited with my abilities. However, I am able to record in HD and could also give a kick-ass DOA .bin/gamesave. lol The DOA mods that I have found are fairly limited to what binds they have so with much help from ZOMBIEKILLAH, I've developed my own that has more than any DOA mod I've been able to find.

Thanks in advance for any light anyone is willing to shed.



********** UPDATE - 8/24/2012 **********

I have figured out that I was getting a syntax error when starting the match because the EBOOT did not properly remove the RSA check. I tried one more time, getting the 1.02 Debug EBOOT, unselfing it, removing the code for the RSA check, and converting it back to a .bin. I was then able to start up the game however none of the changes I made to the .ff affected the game.

I've hit another wall and not sure what to try next to alter the fastfile so that it modifies the game. I need some way to limit or remove the gems when they reward you by spewing from the Cosmic Silverback (Boss) after killing him.

Here are things I've tried to do to the .ff to see if these changes carried over into the game.

File: zombietron_patch.ff

sub-file (*.gsc): maps/zombietron.gsc
Line: 212
Original: set_zombie_var( "zombie_treasure_boss", 25);
Edit: set_zombie_var( "zombie_treasure_boss", 1);
Also tried 5, 10, 15, 20, null, 0, and deleting the line altogether

Line: 226
Original: set_zombie_var( "max_lives", 9 );
Edit: set_zombie_var( "max_lives", 5 );

Line: 227
Original: set_zombie_var( "max_bombs", 9 );
Edit: set_zombie_var( "max_bombs", 5 );

Line: 228
Original: set_zombie_var( "max_boost", 9 );
Edit: set_zombie_var( "max_boost", 5 );

Line: 229
Original: set_zombie_var( "max_multiplier", 9 );
Edit: set_zombie_var( "max_multiplier", 5 );

sub-file (*.gsc): maps/_zombietron_main.gsc
Line: 150
Original: self.lives = 3;
Edit: self.lives = 4;

Line: 151
Original: self.bombs = 1;
Edit: self.bombs = 2;

Line: 152
Original: self.boosters = 2;
Edit: self.boosters = 3;

sub-file (*.gsc): maps/_zombietron_ai_ape.gsc
Original: level thread maps\_zombietron_pickups::spawn_uber_prizes( RandomFloatRange(0.5,1)*(9*level.zombie_vars["max_prize_inc_range"]), zombie.origin, true );
Edit: level thread maps\_zombietron_pickups::spawn_uber_prizes( RandomFloatRange(0.1,0.2)*(1*level.zombie_vars["max_prize_inc_range"]), zombie.origin, true );
I've also tried changing true to false, as well as


I've tried many of these all at once as well as individually. If anyone has any other ideas, please let me know. Thanks in advance for your input.

Same thing.

I was able to finally start the a DOA match up without getting the syntax error. I believe it was because I was not properly removing the RSA check from the EBOOT. I either did it incorrectly or I was not using a 1.02 Debug EBOOT. Anyway, I've fixed it and can now start the game. The problem is, the modifications I've made to the zombietron_patch.ff seem to have no effect. I've updated the OP to show what all I've done, but have hit another wall. Wondering if you might have any suggestions.

Also, if you are able to help me figure this out and find a way to limit the amount of gems that spawn from killing the Boss's and it no longer G_Spawn's at 160, I would be willing to give 100k vbux. I know it's not a lot to you, but it's half of mine and this is something I've been wanting very badly for a long time.

Thanks in advance for your help.

I don't need any vbux from you, I'm glad to help anyone who is willing to learn

You need to not allow so many models to spawn on the map. You could (theoretically) completely disable drops, and that would stop them from taking up an entity. That might be kind of tough though :p

I agree. I need to stop/limit the number of gems/models and I believe this will prevent the G_Spawn. This is what I have been trying to do. However, when I edit the fast file, none of the edits seem to do anything. Do you know why this might be? I've found a few different areas that could potentially control the gems but everything I change seems to have any effect.

I inject the save after I edit and then save the file. I just can't figure out why none of the edits work. Just wondering if you had any ideas.

Look for a GSC regarding powerups, and in there look for something like this:

    spawn( "script_model", 

Those are where it spawns an object.

What I am stuck on is why my edits are not affecting the game. For example, if I change:

    set_zombie_var( "max_lives", 9 ); 

to

    set_zombie_var( "max_lives", 5 ); 

The max possible lives stay at 9 lives. This seems like a very easy edit. Am I wrong in thinking that this should work? This is in the zombietron_patch.ff, in maps/zombietron.gsc on line 226. Or am I missing something. I was trying to start by editing something simple first to make sure I am doing it correctly. If I get something to work, it will help me to understand better how to modify the models that spawn.